1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marine vessel, which includes a propulsion system and a steering mechanism, and a marine vessel maneuvering supporting apparatus for such a marine vessel.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed a marine vessel maneuvering supporting apparatus that can make a marine vessel move laterally without rotating by controlling outputs and steering angles of a pair of outboard motors disposed on a stern of the marine vessel (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0017426A1). With this marine vessel maneuvering supporting apparatus, a control mode is switched from an ordinary running mode to a marine vessel maneuvering support mode for anchoring when a marine vessel maneuvering support starting button for anchoring is operated. In the marine vessel maneuvering support mode for anchoring, the marine vessel can be made to move laterally in forward, reverse, rightward and leftward directions by operation of a cross button. Marine vessel maneuvering during launching from and docking on shore is thereby facilitated. During ordinary maneuvering other than lateral movement, an operator of the marine vessel operates a steering handle to control the steering angles and operates a remote control lever to control the outboard motor outputs.
The steering angles of the pair of outboard motors are set equal to each other in the ordinary running mode. On the other hand, in the marine vessel maneuvering support mode for anchoring, the propulsive forces and the steering angles of the respective outboard motors are determined such that a direction of a resultant force of the propulsive forces generated by the pair of outboard motors matches an intended direction of movement. The steering angles of the pair of outboard motors thus generally take on different values in the marine vessel maneuvering support mode for anchoring. For example, to make the marine vessel move laterally at a right angle, one propulsive force direction of one of the outboard motors is set obliquely forward and the other propulsive force direction of one of the outboard motors is set obliquely in the reverse direction.